Michigan Congressman Thaddeus McCotter, wrapping up four days exploring the political landscape in Iowa, says he’ll decide soon whether to run for president. He didn’t say how soon, however.

This is your cue to say, “Who?”

I know, you probably haven’t heard of him unless you’re often watching Fox News at 2 a.m. This was his first trip to Iowa. His name popped up in the Iowa GOP blogs when he tried to anonymously purchase campaign space at the Iowa Straw Poll. He will be on the ballot at the straw poll, but efforts to remain anonymous failed when other campaigns objected. He spoke at the Iowa Tea Party bus tour in Ottumwa in Monday, but was overshadowed by Michele Bachmann’s campaign launch.

If he runs, he would be a provocative addition to the field. Republicans who loved Newt Gingrich for his ideas may also see McCotter’s wonkish appeal. He’s been talking to ex-staff from Gingrich’s Iowa campaign.

McCotter says he seeks 2012 as the first social-networking primary for Republicans, as 2008 was for Democrats. “The stone tablets and the chisels were put aside in ’08, after we saw what Obama had done with it. Now, we’ve become very competitive on it,” he said.

Dry humor. It’s underrated in a candidate. The social-networking aspect may make it more possible for a very dark-horse candidate like McCotter to emerge late and gain a following.

McCotter is a conservative, who wants to push as much government as possible to the lowest levels possible. But he says the auto industry would not have recovered without the bailout. He’s sharply critical of the Wall Street bailout, and focuses on reform as a necessary step to get credit flowing and spur the economy. He says “reasonable minds can differ” about the U.S. military action in Libya. And while much of the GOP field advocates free trade, he’s for “smart trade,” which enforces agreements with China and other nations.

He reminded me a bit of Christopher Rants, the former Sioux City legislator who tried to run an ideas-based campaign for governor. It makes sense that Rants has been serving as a consultant to McCotter while he’s been doing his “due diligence” in Iowa.

McCotter has concluded that Iowans think there’s room in the field for another candidate. He says he’s not sure he’s the guy. Odds are against him at this stage. But to the extent that he can stimulate a more robust debate about the role of banks in the economic recovery and U.S. relations with China, it will be a welcome change from the cookie-cutter soundbites that have dominated the campaign so far.